How long can a Canadian stay in the US for a vacation?

Can you help me with itinerary for Arizona and California two week vacation? How long should I stay at each?

• My wife and two children (7yr and 1yr old) are planning a two week driving vacation of the south west. We are leaving by car from Las Vegas Apr 20th. We are traveling on a low budget and love nature and hiking although with 1yr old we won't be doing anything super long hikes. We would like to see the following: Zion, Bryce Canyon, Petrified forest, Sedona, Grand Canyon, and Sequoia and Yosemite in California, Death valley and Hoover dam might be of interest too. We would need to be back in Las Vegas on May 2. I know this is a lot in this time but this may be our only trip to this part of the country and would like to see as much as we can. Can you recommend how to split up our time in each place and the absolute must see places at each?

• Answer:

  I've had the opportunity to visit all of the parks in your question. I've visited both Zion and Bryce three times, Petrified Forest and Sedona twice, Grand Canyon six times, Sequoia four times, Yosemite at least 16 times and Death Valley once. They're all worth visiting but your plan is overly ambitious, considering that you’re traveling with a one year old. I've been traveling with my two kids since they were infants. It’s fun but you also have to take into account the safety and well-being of a child whose only form of communication is crying. It takes patience and can be demanding at times. Take another look at your plan and consider the logistics. Your choice of parks will be partly determined by the season. In April you will encounter a lot of snow in Sequoia and the Yosemite high country which can make driving difficult (watch out for black ice). Both these parks require that you carry snow chains or cables in the car and be prepared to use them at any time. Access to some major scenic locations will also be closed. April is an excellent time to visit Death Valley, Zion, Grand Canyon, Sedona and Petrified Forest but Bryce will be cold and you may encounter snow/sleet/hail because of the park’s elevation. Because of the season and the amount of time you have available you should consider scaling back your plans. I suggest something along the lines of the following plan which I put together based on my own experiences. 4/20: drive from Las Vegas to Zion. 4/21: explore Zion Canyon. 4/22: drive from Zion to Bryce in the AM (short drive) and spend the PM exploring the park. 4/23: drive from Bryce to Torrey, UT with stops to see Kodachrome Basin State Park, Escalante Petrified Forest State Park and Anasazi Village State Park. 4/24: drive from Torrey to Moab, UT with stops to see Capitol Reef National Park and Goblin Valley State Park. 4/25-26: explore Arches and Canyonlands Island in the Sky District. Also visit Dead Horse Point State Park for the excellent views into Canyonlands. 4/27: drive from Moab to Mesa Verde in Colorado. You can stay in Cortez (cheaper) and drive into and out of the park (about 45 minutes one way) or stay at Far View Lodge in the park (more esthetically pleasing). Begin exploring the park by first stopping at the Visitor Center. 4/28: continue exploring Mesa Verde. Wetherill Mesa will be closed but Chapin Mesa is open and contains the bulk of what there is to see. 4/29: drive from Mesa Verde to Grand Canyon Village on the south rim. You will have the opportunity to pass thru Four Corners (for what it's worth). You should also consider making a detour to see Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park about 25 miles north of Kayenta on the way to Grand Canyon. 4/30-5/1: explore Grand Canyon south rim. Many people like to stay on the rim at places like the Thunderbird and Kachina Lodges. I don't care for the crowds and prefer to stay off the rim at places like Maswik and Yavapai Lodges. Maswik is closer to the village if you want to walk from the lodge instead of waiting for the shuttle bus. 5/2: drive from Grand Canyon to Las Vegas. You can stop at Hoover Dam on the way back. I really enjoy this area of the country and have visited these parks many times. My most recent visit to the area was to do some hiking in Arches and Canyonlands Needles District but the highlight of the trip was our hike to The Wave located in North Coyote Buttes in Paria Canyon. The Wave is one of a kind and we were extremely fortunate to get one of a limited number of BLM permits to access the area. Take a look at my plan and use it as a guide or take it as it is and tweak it to suit your family. I want to impress upon you that there is much more to see out there than our national parks. Often times the state parks are like mini national parks and just as enjoyable but on a smaller scale. Use the internet to investigate each area you intend to visit and plan accordingly. Research and advanced planning can make for a much more enjoyable trip. Don't worry about not being able to return to the southwest to see the places that you miss on this trip. After you see these parks you will make it a point to plan future trips to the area. Take it slowly and enjoy. One other thing. If you don't already have one get a good baby carrier so you can carry your infant and have your hands free. You need your hands free to see some of the Mesa Verde ruins. I used a backpack carrier when my kids were young.